# Composte Pile



## pixiegirl

Anyone have one?  Easy to make and maintain?  I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash.  We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider.  I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.


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## jen8753

pixiegirl said:


> Anyone have one?  Easy to make and maintain?  I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash.  We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider.  I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.



I had one last season, and I loved it! Between that and regular recycling, you will really be surprised how much less trash you will be taking out to the curb. There are a lot of really great websites you can turn to for info. Good luck!

Here's one I used...  Composting - a guide for making compost at home


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## nomoney

pixiegirl said:


> Anyone have one? Easy to make and maintain? I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash. We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider. I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.


 

Go for it!  It's been ages since I've had one.  Get a bin to keep the rascles out.  Coffee grounds and egg shells are great nutrients for the soil.


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## Bonehead

*Never*

Try to recycle anything meat based, grease, oil etc. Only veggies, egg shells, coffee grounds etc. Some also add grass clippings and leaves in small amounts.


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## cattitude

pixiegirl said:


> Anyone have one?  Easy to make and maintain?  I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash.  We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider.  I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.



Are you still at the CRE house?  You will have EVERY wild creature within 5 miles in your yard.


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## lovinmaryland

cattitude said:


> Are you still at the CRE house?  You will have EVERY wild creature within 5 miles in your yard.





My Aunt and Uncle have one (they are in the Dentsiville area) and have quite a few houses in their neighborhood and I have never heard them complain about a lot of creatures getting into it... but they may just be leaving that part out when they rave about their compost pile


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## MissKitty

cattitude said:


> Are you still at the CRE house?  You will have EVERY wild creature within 5 miles in your yard.



Too late, I already live there.


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## K_Jo

Great Earth Day thread!


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## Nanny Pam

Do it, Pixie!  

When we were kids, my Dad built a really big one, because we had garden, too.  He used thick plywood and built a door on the bottom with a big hinge.  
We used it on the garden.  Just opened the hinge door and get it from the bottom.  We had the BEST tomatoes, and green peppers.

Plus, when Dad took me bass fishing, the best worms were also in there


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## vraiblonde

pixiegirl said:


> Anyone have one?  Easy to make and maintain?



Yes and yes.

Collect your compost goods daily and throw them in the pile.  Every so often toss some fill dirt on top of the whole mess and water well.  This helps break everything down.  No meats/fats/oils/cheese.

When my annuals were done last fall, I dumped them in the compost pile.  Damned if they didn't come back


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## Pete

I have a big one.  Leaves and food trash.  The critters don't mess with it.  The bypass the compost pile to tear open trash bags I leave on my deck if I forget to put them in the can.

I put everything in mine.  Meat, veggies, cat litter, and anything else that is not plastic, metal or paper.


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## nomoney

I've heard the no meat, oils, etc before - but I really don't know why.  So why not?


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## Pete

nomoney said:


> I've heard the no meat, oils, etc before - but I really don't know why.  So why not?



I even pee on my compost pile sometimes.


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## BeenSpur'd

I've had one for the last 25 years.  I keep adding to it and using it as I need.  I don't put food into it, I feed all that to the pig.  I use manure, sawdust, grass, leaves, stuff pulled up from the garden, ect.  I use the bucket on my tractor to keep it turned.  Didn't have a bucket for a long time so didn't do much too it and it still made the most blackest, most excellent compost full of worms that a person could ever want.   I have three piles now.


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## PrepH4U

If you need any horse apples or chicken poop to help keep it going let me know.


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## JoeMac

I have one in my back yard and I live in a townhouse.  I don't have any issues with wild animals.  

I have heard that any meats you should bury to keep animals away and the stink down.  Meats are supposed to add nitrogen to the soil.

You want to use a ratio of 2 parts brown(leaves, dead plants, straw, pine needles) to 1 part of green(grass clippings, veggie scraps).  Keep the pile moist and well turned to keep air to all portions.

Cat litter is NOT a good thing to put on, too many chemicals in the litter.  Also saw dust needs to be untreated and no paint or stain on the wood.

If you growing a garden you should consider a green fertilizer, which is a cover crop on a certain portion of the garden over the winter months then you just till it into the soil.


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## huntr1

pixiegirl said:


> Anyone have one?  Easy to make and maintain?  I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash.  We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider.  I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.


Thanks for the reminder.
I have 3 compost bins around the backyard.  Need to check on their status and see if I can empty them out yet.
Got them a couple years ago when Charles Co. had a truckload sale at the WalMart in LaPlata.  I think I paid $20.00 a bin.  This is the one I have

Check with the Solid Waste Dept. in all 3 counties and see if any are doing a sale this year.  St. Mary's said last year that they were possibly going to do one this year.

No issues with animals in the one we throw food scraps into now that the dirt is above the bottom of the bin.  One is right by the house, the other 2 are fourther out in the backyard (roughly 1 at the back, 1 in the middle and 1 at the front).  The 2 further out ones are just for leaves and grass.  I never turn the material, so it takes longer to breakdown.  I do add grass clippings once or twice a year.


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## huntr1

BTW, with it being earth day, most greenie websites are having sales.  If I read it right, compost bins are 40% off today on the site I linked to above.

Easiest compost bin is a round cylinder of chickenwire about 3' tall and 3' across.  Put 4 stakes in the ground and then wrap the chickenwire around it.  Instant compost bin for yard scraps.  When it's ready to be used you just remove the chickenwire.


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## ohsnoes

pixiegirl said:


> Anyone have one?  Easy to make and maintain?  I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash.  We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider.  I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.



Turn your compost pile with a spading fork (like a pitchfork) or a shovel.  Add some rabbit poo (that you can take from the community garden bins by the ballfields on Catalina) to make it "heat up".  I live in the Ranchy Club and don't have any issues with critters.  My dogs try to get into it more than any wild animals.  I add my mulched up leaves in the fall, too.  When you turn the pile and see thousands of worms, you'll know you're doing it right.  Best stuff in the world to grow any kind of plants and it's free.  

Also, the CRE garden club meets the 2nd Monday of the month in the lower level of the admin building at 7pm.  You can stop by and get lots of good information.  It's for home gardeners as well as the people who work the community gardens.


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## Toxick

pixiegirl said:


> Anyone have one?



There are several compost heaps currently posting in the fourms even as we speak.




Ask them if they'll come over and hang out in your back yard.


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## Cowgirl

They are easy.  But ew, don't add pet waste to it.


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## pixiegirl

I use all natural pine litter for the cats and completely change out the boxes every 3-4 days.  I think that's WAY too much to put in a composte pile.  

I'm conflicted on the meats though.  I'll have to read more.  Some say yes, some say no....  We don't consume a ton of meat anyway so it would be pretty small portions.

What about things like crab shells if we have crabs?


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## sockgirl77

Crap. I thought this was another Azzy thread bump.


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## huntr1

pixiegirl said:


> I use all natural pine litter for the cats and completely change out the boxes every 3-4 days.  I think that's WAY too much to put in a composte pile.
> 
> I'm conflicted on the meats though.  I'll have to read more.  Some say yes, some say no....  We don't consume a ton of meat anyway so it would be pretty small portions.
> 
> What about things like crab shells if we have crabs?


Crab shells would be WONDERFUL in the compost pile.  Indians taught the Colonists to put fish heads in the hole when planting.

You could always do 2 compost piles.  1 for "clean" debris, 1 for Cat debris.  Then use the cat compost for flowerbeds and yard top dressing, not for edible plants.

How do you like the pine stuff?  How does it compare cost wise with the clay based stuff?  I would much rather not continue to dump the clay in the woods.


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## pixiegirl

sockgirl77 said:


> Crap. I thought this was another Azzy thread bump.




Weren't you just getting snippy with people for going off topic in one of your threads madam?  

Another thing related to my thread....  I have a decent amount of woods surrounding my house.  Like I said before I use all natural pine litter for my cat boxes.  Is it more environmental sound to dump the boxes out outside to biodegrate or put the used litter in trash bags and take it to the dump.  I'm thinking that the first may be a more earth friendly option but am torn due to the fact that it's cat waste???  Any incite?


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## sockgirl77

pixiegirl said:


> Weren't you just getting snippy with people for going off topic in one of your threads madam?
> 
> Another thing related to my thread....  I have a decent amount of woods surrounding my house.  Like I said before I use all natural pine litter for my cat boxes.  Is it more environmental sound to dump the boxes out outside to biodegrate or put the used litter in trash bags and take it to the dump.  I'm thinking that the first may be a more earth friendly option but am torn due to the fact that it's cat waste???  Any incite?



Yes, but please do go on calling me madam. It makes me feel special. 

P.S. It's insight.


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## pixiegirl

huntr1 said:


> Crab shells would be WONDERFUL in the compost pile.  Indians taught the Colonists to put fish heads in the hole when planting.
> 
> You could always do 2 compost piles.  1 for "clean" debris, 1 for Cat debris.  Then use the cat compost for flowerbeds and yard top dressing, not for edible plants.
> 
> How do you like the pine stuff?  How does it compare cost wise with the clay based stuff?  I would much rather not continue to dump the clay in the woods.




I REALLY REALLY like the pine pellets!  It's about $4 a small bag that does a regular sized litter box at the grocery store.  It's cheaper than that at Walmart I think.  I've used regular clay, clumping clay, silica (sp?), wheat and the newspaper pellets and swear by the pine pellets!


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## pixiegirl

sockgirl77 said:


> Yes, but please do go on calling me madam. It makes me feel special.
> 
> P.S. It's insight.



You are pretty special.  

I've been on here for 7 years.  If you haven't realized by now my spelling is ridiculous then I don't know what to tell you.


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## sockgirl77

pixiegirl said:


> You are pretty special.
> 
> I've been on here for 7 years.  If you haven't realized by now my spelling is ridiculous then I don't know what to tell you.



I hope you don't mean "special". 


I know. I know. Carry on Pix.


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## huntr1

pixiegirl said:


> Weren't you just getting snippy with people for going off topic in one of your threads madam?
> 
> Another thing related to my thread....  I have a decent amount of woods surrounding my house.  Like I said before I use all natural pine litter for my cat boxes.  Is it more environmental sound to dump the boxes out outside to biodegrate or put the used litter in trash bags and take it to the dump.  I'm thinking that the first may be a more earth friendly option but am torn due to the fact that it's cat waste???  Any incite?


You have more wild animal poop around your house than cat poop.


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## Cowgirl

I think the issue with meat is that the pile probably doesnt' get hot enough to break it down fast.  We used to compost calves, and even a few cows, but those piles get so hot they'd break down in a month.


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## pixiegirl

huntr1 said:


> You have more wild animal poop around your house than cat poop.



I don't know...  We're the crazy cat people of the hood.  We have 5.  But I guess that does make sense!


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## pixiegirl

Another question.  See, I'm full of it.  What do you do in the winter?  Do you keep adding to it?


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## Cowgirl

pixiegirl said:


> Another question.  See, I'm full of it.  What do you do in the winter?  Do you keep adding to it?



This should answer all of your questions.


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## migtig

We have this:
Creative-Circuit Base Compost Tumbler
and it's awesome makes thick rich compost in almost no time and it also collects the compost tea at the bottom to use to enrich plants.  
I have a small rubbish bin inside the kitchen and I place all my veggie waste, used tea bags, coffee and filters, etc. and dump it in along with a mix of shredded paper, and give it a whirl.  Trash no longer stinks.  Also between proper recycling and composting I have about half a bag of trash a week.  

The only thing I do not dump in the compost bin is dairy (milk/cheese/yogurt products) meat, and grease. If you want to do that, you'd need a super special compost bin - an aerobic composter, in order to keep the air circulating and ensure proper breakdown and not have a lot of bad bacteria growth.  Something like this: Small Dual Chamber Tumbling Composter.  You would not want an open bin compost, it would smell like road kill all up and down your street, bring rodents and varmints up close to your home, and have some bad bacteria growth that may not make healthy compost.


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## Cowgirl

Here's another good site.


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## pixiegirl

Cowgirl said:


> This should answer all of your questions.





Cowgirl said:


> Here's another good site.


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## huntr1

pixiegirl said:


> I don't know...  We're the crazy cat people of the hood.  We have 5.  But I guess that does make sense!


It's ok to be crazy cat people.


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## toppick08

pixiegirl said:


> Anyone have one?  Easy to make and maintain?  I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash.  We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider.  I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.



Got a huge one...easy peasy.


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## jedi2814

Pete said:


> I have a big one.  Leaves and food trash.  The critters don't mess with it.  The bypass the compost pile to tear open trash bags I leave on my deck if I forget to put them in the can.
> 
> I put everything in mine.  Meat, veggies, cat litter, and anything else that is not plastic, metal or paper.



I would be careful with cat litter for two reasons: Unless it's the plain old clay kind most have some kind of deoderants and disenfectants which would be detrimental to whatever you put it on after you compost it (even the "all natural ones" - read the label).  Cat manure also tends to be really acidic which can also damage you plants.  

There are also certain viruses cats carry and pass on through their stool which can make small children sick and are dangerous to pregnant women (well to the baby).  Composting does not get rid of these.  If you then spread this compost on your gardens you spreading these germs on your garden.  Are they difficult to actually pick up?  Yes.  Is it worth the risk?  No.


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## jedi2814

pixiegirl said:


> I use all natural pine litter for the cats and completely change out the boxes every 3-4 days.  I think that's WAY too much to put in a composte pile.
> 
> I'm conflicted on the meats though.  I'll have to read more.  Some say yes, some say no....  We don't consume a ton of meat anyway so it would be pretty small portions.
> 
> What about things like crab shells if we have crabs?



You have not smelled a stink worse than decomposing crab shells.  Did that once and our compost pile is out behind the goat pen.  NEVER AGAIN!!!!


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## dn0121

I have always had one no matter where I lived. Mostly it is plants, grass, and extra dirt. Fruit and veggie scraps go in also.  

The main reason is so I don't put grass in the landfill when it is too high to mulch and leave on the lawn.


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## MissKitty

We started our compost pile this weekend.


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## K_Jo

MissKitty said:


> We started our compost pile this weekend.



Great news!   Got pics?


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## MissKitty

K_Jo said:


> Great news!   Got pics?



No.


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## huntr1

jedi2814 said:


> You have not smelled a stink worse than decomposing crab shells.  Did that once and our compost pile is out behind the goat pen.  NEVER AGAIN!!!!


If you throw newspapers or grass clippings on top of the crab shells, that will prevent the vast majority of the decomposing fish smell.  Once the leftover soft tissue on the shells has dried out there will be no smell anymore.


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## toppick08

Get the yeast ready.....and the pitchfork........


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